Real Techniques Core Collection Review

Hello lovelies,

It seems ages ago now that I told you I'd finally bought the RT Core Collection set. Before buying it I read several reviews (thank you blog land) and couldn't find a bad word said about it, so here's another by someone who's been won over by these brilliant brushes.

L-R: Buffing, Pointed Foundation, Detailer and Contour brush.

The Core Collection Set

The set is one of a few by Real Techniques and consists of four brushes which are designed to help you achieve a flawless base. The brushes themselves are all made from synthetic taklon bristles that feel incredibly smooth and very soft on skin. They're also very light to hold because of their aluminium handles. The brushes come in a black case (great for travelling) which doubles as a stand.

Contour Brush
At the moment I don't pay much attention to contouring (although I should because I know it can make such a huge difference) but I do use this to sweep highlighter in a few places and it's really good. It picks up a lot of product so I have to remember not to be heavy handed and to blend.

Pointed Foundation Brush
I don't use this brush much, purely because I prefer to apply my foundation with the buffer to really blend it in. If you like to use a proper foundation brush then this one is excellent quality and it's definitely a fall back for me.

Detailer Brush
This is quite a small brush that looks like your typical eye shadow brush. I hate the doe foot applicator that comes with my concealer so I use this instead for slapping a good amount on under my eyes or over spots.
This gives me a lot more control over how much concealer I want to apply and where I want it. I often feel like I'm painting with this brush. Being a detailer, it's just the right size for under eye patch ups and for covering pesky bits of blemished skin. Rather than just blobbing the product on in a thick lump, this allows you to spread it thinly or build it up.

Buffing Brush
This was the one that drew me to the collection, I was after a brush that I could use to apply liquid foundation and I'd narrowed it down to the expert face brush or this one, which is only available as part of the set. I weighed up my options and decided that spending a bit extra to get 3 more brushes was too tempting not to do.
This is the main brush I use. I put a few blobs of foundation on my face (cheeks, chin and forehead). Starting with my cheeks I start spreading the foundation around using circular motion and just do this repeatedly on the different areas of my face until it's all covered.
I also use this after applying my blusher. I like to just give a quick couple of sweeps over the blushed area to ensure that it's blended in well.
I can honestly say I don't know what I did before I had this. It just makes it so much quicker and easier to apply my foundation and the effect is excellent. I never used to feel like my make up was applied well but now I have this I don't even need great light to do my make up as I can be totally sure that it's all blended in well and I've not got the dreaded streaky make up look!

Overall
As I've said I was only really after the buffing brush, but now that I've got this set I'm really impressed with the general quality of the brushes and how well they work. I definitely get the most use out of the buffer and detailer, with the least used being the foundation brush.

There's more info about how to use the brushes on the Real Techniques website.

I bought my brushes from Amazon for just under £20 but they're also available at Boots and several other online retailers.

Lauren x

Goodbye 2012 Hello 2013

Hello lovelies, 

So this is the last time you'll be hearing from me in 2012 and although nothing really changes in that tiny second it takes to go from one year to the next, I can't ignore the feeling of getting a fresh start and a renewed hope that better things are on the horizon. 

2012: A Recap

2012 is the year that... 'To be confirmed' or 'Pink for flamingos' was born. Whatever you call it, both are crap names and ultimately come from the fact that I couldn't think of anything better and didn't know what the blog would become. 'To be confirmed' reflects the fact that I can't make a decision to save my life. Regardless of the name, I love my little corner of the internet. Writing and reading blogs is my escape from real life, so thank you if you're a part of that.

2012 is the year that...I started to get better. Ok, so it's a long process, but I've felt that this year I have definitely made steps towards beating my anxiety problems and when I look back on this time last year I can see a huge difference. 

2012 is the year that...My oldest friend got pregnant. Shortly followed by my sister. I am so over the moon for both of them. Since my sister's nearly 40 I was wondering if I would ever become an aunty. We have a really small family and there hasn't been a baby born for over a decade. Next year I can look forward to spoiling both a boy and girl. 

2012 is the year that...I started volunteering for charity. It doesn't sound like the most earth shattering breakthrough, but I really really love the two mornings a week when I go in and help in the shop. I'd like to think that even when I become a 'proper grown up' I will still make the time to do something that can make a difference not only to someone/something else but also to me. 

2013: A Plan Que Sera, Sera

There are a thousand and one things that I would like to do/achieve never mind just in 2013, but in life in general. So much so that thinking about it actually scares me. I've come to the realisation over the past few years, during which I've been bogged down by anxiety, that I'm not one of those people for which it's useful to plan ahead. The thought of a one, five or even ten year plan is daunting to me. Resolutions are something I've been thinking about a lot lately. The problem is that sometimes when you make spectacular plans you're often setting yourself up for failure or at least this is how I feel. 

I think more than anything what I want from 2013 is just to be OK. 

Lauren x

The Christmas Post 2012

Hello lovelies, 

I haven't really taken the pictures I wanted, but I feel like I need to do a Christmas post today to get it out of the way by next year. I love Christmas but I feel a bit conflicted when you say goodbye to one year and hello to another with the decorations still up and Christmas hanging around, so likewise I didn't want to be blogging about Xmas when we're in 2013. 

L-R: Fingerless gloves, Revlon mirror, Next baubles, Lush Hello Gorgeous set, bamboo socks, balls again, what I'm reading, pressies. 

Here's a snapshot of what I got for Xmas. Like my birthday I mostly had money which I have many plans for already, but I also got the odd few bits above. 

Lauren x

Daxon Blogger Opportunity!

Just a post about this blogger opportunity that I read about earlier over on Sophie's blog (which I love btw!). Daxon are giving bloggers the chance to join their network and in return receive a £50 Amazon or Threadless voucher!

A bit about Daxon taken from their website: 

"We are part of Redcats, which is the 3rd largest home shopping organisation in the world. We specialise in top quality clothing, for all occasions, to give you effortless style. We aim to find the perfect fit for you. We don’t believe in compromise when it comes to fashion! "

Click on this link for more info.

If you're interested then you'll need to be quick as it finishes tomorrow.

Lauren x 

Merry Christmas To All And To All A Good Night...

Evening lovelies, 

Just a quickie to say Merry Christmas and all that, even though it's a bit late. Hope it's been a good day. It was a quiet one for me as our family didn't all get together this year and even when we do there still aren't that many of us to be honest. I've been dipping in and out of t'internet all day and love seeing people's Crimbo pics of silly but adorable jumpers and an abundance of pets wearing tinsel, etc :) I'm ending the day watching some TV taped from earlier (OMG at Dowton!) and then tomorrow I'm off to the sales which is either mad or genius, can't decide.

Merry Christmas! 

Lauren x 

Birthday Bits and Pieces 2012

Hello lovelies, 

Things have been a bit hectic around here and I just haven't got round to blogging this week. I have loads of posts in mind but my energy levels are at an all time low. As soon as I sit down in the evenings I tend to fall asleep and then don't get much further than checking my emails and Facebook. I'm trying to keep up with the blogs I follow, I love the fact that there are loads of Christmas posts around at the moment and lots of haulin' going on. 

Onto my birthday (thurs last week)..... I said I'd blog about what I got. I mostly just received money and vouchers which is great because I'd much rather be able to spend the money on something I want/need rather than have the elderly/male relations who gave them to me trying to choose something and getting it completely wrong. It keeps me happy and it keeps them happy! 

I also got a selection of little bits and bobs, some of which are below.

L-R: Pretty flowery cup, Hello Daughter card, my name in lights!, wax tin, snood, Paris box, hanging frame, tea lights.

 Cute little magnetic box with verbena soap. 

 Beautifully detialed cushion

The duvet cover half the blogosphere has!

I'm in the middle of redoing my bedroom at the moment; off white walls, white furniture, with french country/shabby chic style decor but without looking too fussy if you know what I mean. So far I've done the walls and made a start on painting the furniture but when I'm done these little things will add the finishing touches and go with the look of the room. I'll probably post on this when it happens!

There you go, nothing fancy, but all things I love and appreciate! 

Lauren x

Xmas Party Outfit Blogger Comp with FashionVouchers.com

Hello lovelies, 

FashionVouchers.com are hosting another competition for the chance to win £100 of vouchers. All you have to do is choose one of their retailers and put together a Xmas party outfit for £100 or less. 

I chose New Look because they've got some excellent reductions on their party wear and there's a great range. This outfit comes to just under £97!

L-R: Black Top £12, Faux Fur Jacket £34.99, Black Courts £19.99, Sequin Skirt £10, Silver Beaded Clutch £19.99. 

I have a major obsession with sequins at the moment, particularly sequinned skirts. The colour makes this one perfect for the festive season. I think the black top looks quite sophisticated due to the lace insert and sheer sleeves. Don't even get me started on the fur jacket, I would love to own one, it's gorgeous. I finished the outfit off with a pair of classic black courts that you really can't go wrong with and a sparkly art deco style clutch. What do you think?

If you fancy doing this challenge too you can find the details via this link. You'll have to be fast though as tomorrow is the closing date!

Lauren x